Metal partition walls



Nov. 29, 1960 G. MARsl METAL PARTITION WALLS Filed Nov. 9, 1953 di V INVENTOR.' GUIDO MARSI BYMKMJ ATTORNEY United States Patent O METAL PARTITION WALLS Guido Marsi, Monfalcone, Italy, assigner to Cantieri Riuniti Dell Adriatico, Trieste, Italy Filed Nov. 9, 1953, Ser. No. 391,031

Claims priority, application Italy Nov. '11, 1952 2 Claims. (Cl. 189--34) The present invention relates to metal partition walls of iron or like material, and more particularly to bulkheads.

Iron bulkheads have been assembled by riveting or welding together metal sheets. Either of the prior assembly methods has disadvantages which I have overcome with my novel partition structure.

In accordance with this invention, I build metal partition walls or bulkheads with a plurality of metal plates having spaced perpendicular folds projecting from the plates, the two walls of each fold being spot-welded together to form a plurality of vertical reinforcing ribs for each plate. Each plate has a perpendicularly projecting end flange and a perpendicularly projecting double-walled flange at the other end thereof, adjacent metal plates being joined together by interengagement of an end flange with an adjacent double-walled flange, the end llanges of adjacent plates being spot-welded together to form the partition wall or bulkhead.

The invention will be more fully explained in the following description of two preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of a metal plate used in the partition walls of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section illustrating the joint between two metal plates;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1 but showing a different rib embodiment; and

Fig. 4 illustrates the joint of two plates of the embodiment of Fig. 3.

Referring now to the drawing, there is shown a metal plate 1, the plate being of iron. The plate is bent or folded to form a perpendicular end flange 5 and another end flange 6 which is U-shaped and consists of double walls 7 which are parallel to each other and define the interspace 8. Intermediate the end ilanges 5 and 6, the plate 1 is folded at intervals to form perpendicular ribs 2, each reinforcing rib consisting of adjacent walls 3 which are spot-welded together. -At their outer ends, the walls of the ribs may be spaced slightly apart to form loops 4.

As shown in Fig. 2, adjacent plates are interconnected by placing an end flange Sinto interspace 8 of an adjacent flange 6, ange 5 and walls 7 of flange 6 being spot- Welded together.

Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate a similar structure in which all similar parts have been indicated by the same reference numerals as in Figs. 1 and 2, except that primes have been applied to each numeral. The only difference between the two embodiments is in the formation of an annular end loop 9 for the ribs 2' and the end flange 6.

i' ice The latter end loop structure may be of advantage where the metal plating is of greater than usual thickness for increased sturdiness or where the material is not very flexible, as in the case of aluminum, for instance. Also, such a n'b formation may be desirable for aesthetic reasons, producing a wall which needs no covering to mask the flanges or ribs, thus resulting in added economy.

While the double walls of the reinforcing ribs and the end flanges have been described as spot-welded together, i-t will be obvious that equivalent mechanical connecting means could be used to X the Walls and llanges to each other. Also, while the metal plates have been shown llat, they could obviously be curved, as desired.

The partition walls of the present invention may be advantageously used for all construction purposes but have found particular applicability for bulkheads. These walls are considerably lighter than equivalent walls of the prior art because the ribs and llanges assure rigidity and prevent buckling. Therefore, the thickness of the plates can be reduced from about 5 mm. to 2.5-3 mm. without sacrificing strength and rigidity. This reduction in plate thickness and the elimination of special supports, which are substituted by the stiffening ribs, results in a saving in weight of from G10-90%.

Also, the individual plates may be brought aboard ship and may be fitted together there according to the designers desire, with last-minute changes readily made. These Prefabricated parts are easy to transport and easy to take aboard ship by the regu-lar gangways. The end flanges are simple to connect by pressing the ilange walls together and then welding them at spaced points, for instance two to three spot-welded points per meter.

Iclaim:

1. A vertical partition wall consisting of a plurality of joined metal plates, each plate having two perpendicular end flanges integral with the plate, one of said end -ilanges having a U-shaped cross section with two flange walls defining an interspace, the other one of the end tlanges of an adjoining one of said plates being engaged in said interspace, the two flange walls and the other end flange being spot-welded together, and intermediate stiifen ing ribs perpendicularly projecting from and integral with the plate, the ribs being spaced apart and each n'b consisting of a double-walled fold with the rib walls projecting perpendicularly from the plate and being spotwelded together, the rib walls having spaced apart end portions forming an end loop in each rib, and the U- shaped end llanges and the ribs being substantially of the same length. j

2. The vertical partition wall of claim 1, wherein the end loops are annular.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 616,246 Milligan Dec. 20, 1898 696,358 Bailey Mar. 25, 1902 1,969,918 Wright Aug. 14, 1934 2,101,056 Frick Dec. 7, 1937 2,184,113 Calafati Dec. 19, 1939 2,500,940 Fischer Mar. 21, 1950 2,549,442 Fischer Apr. 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 537,108 Great Britain June 10, 1941 

